


Someone they both could trust

by cryptkey



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Claudia is a good kid, Comfort, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dark Magic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Light Angst, Limbo exploration, M/M, Magic Accidents, Praise, Soft Viren (The Dragon Prince), Touch-Starved Aaravos (The Dragon Prince), Viren is tired, Viren is trying, but its not nsfw, they both need it okay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26999014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryptkey/pseuds/cryptkey
Summary: Viren feels deeply upset after the three of them - Aaravos, Claudia, and him - return to the palace of Katolis.Aaravos helps him through it all while revealing a little more about himself as time goes on.
Relationships: Aaravos/Viren (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> uhh yeah so, this was kinda nice to write. a little different from normal but I needed to have a change at some point.
> 
> if there are any tags I missed let me know in the comments <3

It’s been a while since he’d descended the spiralling steps to his private workplace. The tell-tale sound of gears turning brought forth a sense of nostalgia within Viren’s soul, a brisk breeze brushing past him. 

They had returned to Katolis not long ago. However, due to the unrest caused by his unsuccessful siege on Xadia, they chose to slip into the castle through a secret passage. It was entirely Claudia’s idea, she even acted as a guide through the spiralling tunnels into the royal library. 

And Viren thought  _ he _ knew the castle inside and out. 

With them safe inside the walls of the castle, another problem quickly appeared. 

Aaravos, now a physical being, wanted to touch  _ everything _ he came in contact with. Claudia found it somewhat funny, Viren did  _ not. _ Seeing how Aaravos, the calm and mysterious elf, had completely lost a facade over being able to touch new books again had struck up a spark of unease inside him. 

Nonetheless, they had to hurry. It wasn’t exactly part of their plan to get caught the same hour they return home. 

It took dodging the librarians and three spells for them to finally get to Viren’s private study - well, the former dungeons. Claudia would come later with a collection of books for Aaravos, to keep him occupied so Viren could focus.

But even then, it’s hard to focus when there’s a tall glowing elf staring straight through the back of your head. 

It’s making him shake. From what, he wasn’t sure. It could be rage, paranoia, or stress finally catching up to him. Viren refuses to fall to submission to anything that could waste their time in formulating their new - much stronger plan. Especially when it’s his own body betraying him. 

“Viren,” Aaravos hummed, dangerously close to Viren’s ear. When did he get so close? “You’re trembling.”

It took every fibre of his being not to flinch away from the ghostly touch over his wrists, a gentle thumb brushing over the scar in his palm. The phantom pain of the blade breaking skin made his whole body become unbearably tense, his breathing halting for a moment. 

Taking in a deep breath, he shut his eyes. “Stop playing around what you want to say.”

Aaravos pressed gently on the scar, his voice smooth as poisoned honey. “Does it still hurt?”

“I don’t see how that concerns you.”

Rolling his eyes, Aaravos took a soft step closer with a slight shake of his head. “Is there  _ anyone _ you trust to speak of your internal wounds?”

Now trapped between the wall of muscle and the shelves containing multiple remnants of magical creatures, Viren felt himself flinch. If Aaravos noticed it, he didn’t do or say anything of it.

He attempted to play it off. “As I said, its none of your business.” 

“It may not be, Viren,” Aaravos spoke softly, his golden eyes fixated on the scar. “But that still doesn’t change that you need to take care of yourself if you still want humanity to thrive.”

“Step  _ away _ .” 

“No.” Aaravos countered his silent threat with a tone that gripped his heart. It  _ felt _ like Aaravos had pulled a string directly attached to the most fragile part of his soul, pulling the pieces apart to reveal what he’d kept hidden for so long. “For the night, let me take care of you, let me help you get the rest you need.”

Viren’s throat felt tight. “I’ll be fine.” His voice cracked and he knew he was  _ not fine. _ “Just  _ leave. _ ”

Aaravos turned him around with a gentle hand on his shoulder, the stars reaching across his exposed arms the only thing Viren could focus without feeling like he was about to fall apart. 

“ _ Viren. _ Let me  _ help you. _ ” 

Letting out a heavy sigh, Viren looked up to the golden eyes of the tall elf. “And how exactly would you?”

“I assume you have a private room nearby?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Viren groaned. Deciding to put his trust in the elf once more, despite every fibre of his soul fighting against it, he pointed down a particular hall. 

The single step he took towards the hall never made a sound against the stone floor, for it never touched it. Before Viren could fully process the feeling that he was falling, Aaravos had him in his arms, carrying him down the hall. Viren felt... uncomfortably happy about it. 

“I can walk by myself,” he hissed, pushing at the arm under his legs. “I am not a damsel in distress.”

Aaravos chuckled, his voice echoing off the dark walls. “You’ve allowed me to take care of you for a single evening and you assume I would not start in an instant?”

Viren was stunned for a moment, staring at the dark bruises across his arms that hadn’t healed when Claudia revived him. Aaravos was being serious about helping him relax. Multiple red flags flew up in his mind instantly, his breathing faltering for a moment once more. 

No, this must be a trick. Viren doesn’t  _ know enough _ about him to be allowing this to happen this easily. The only thing stopping him from lashing out at the elf was that despite everything, Viren felt a strange sense of longing swell in his chest. 

He  _ shouldn’t _ be feeling this, or even considering letting this happen, but maybe this once he could allow someone else to take care of him. 

Being placed on the bed with different clothes on certainly snapped him out of his thought process effectively. Viren sat up quickly, looking around for his previous outfit. A palm pressing against his chest stopped him, gently urging him to lie back down into the softness of the bed and pillows. 

“Calm down,” Aaravos whispered, watching Viren closely as the man lied back down hesitantly. “Don’t worry yourself tonight.”

Viren was certain magic was used. The clothes he wore now were akin to his tastes in dark colours and golden accents, perfectly fitting his form. Besides that, it was a perfect fit and felt impossibly comfortable against his skin.

Again, his heart ached. When had he become so alone that a simple act of kindness like this would make him feel like he had a hole in his soul? He felt small, his chest aching with a need to have someone close. Someone to hold and someone to listen to his problems. 

Someone he could trust.

When Aaravos moved to walk away, as silent and calm as ever, Viren reached out and grabbed his arm. He could feel his arm shaking, his breathing uneven and his eyes unfocused. Expecting to have the arm ripped from his gentle grasp, he held it tighter. 

He’s falling apart and the only being willing to let him hold onto is the elf he had met in a  _ mirror _ . Either he’s losing his mind or he’s lost it already, but he needs someone right now. 

How long had it been since someone let him talk about what  _ he _ felt? 

It was silent in the room, the silent plea from Viren’s heart clear as day. For a moment, Viren thought the elf was going to walk away because of his silence. He was surprised when Aaravos’ clothing changed before his very eyes, even more so when he laid down next to him. 

Viren was, needless to say, stunned to silence. 

The motion happened too fast in his head, and he only shook himself out of it when Aaravos had pulled him close with arms wrapped around his shoulders in a gentle embrace.

This simple moment of being held, it made his walls crumble and tears fall from his eyes. 

“You’re such a powerful human, not only in magic,” Aaravos whispered to him, a hand rubbing the human’s back in small circles. “But in mind and body as well. You push yourself to your limits to satisfy others, never once thinking about the damage you do to yourself.”

Viren couldn’t help but let out a soft shudder, tears rolling down his face freely. People always speak as if they are higher than him, talking down as if he were mud below their boots. When was the last time he had been treated like a normal human being?

“You are worth so much more than how they treat you, Viren.” the fallen star sighed, looking down at the sobbing human in his arms. How horrid had they treated him that he was crumbling at being held and praised for being  _ alive _ ?

After that Aaravos remained silent, looking up at the stone ceiling as he let the mage unravel. In his arms lie a shaking mess of a once happy man, now crumbling under the power of a few simple words. What had they  _ done _ to him?

At every heartwrenching sob that fell from Viren’s mouth, Aaravos could feel his heart ache with secondhand guilt. It may not have been long since he met Viren, but he had grown fond of him. Hearing him fall apart, feeling how close to breaking he was at the trembling of his entire body, Aaravos couldn’t  _ stand _ it. 

If they were in contact sooner, he could have prevented this.

After a few minutes, the only noises heard in the room now was their breathing and Aaravos’ palm sliding over the soft fabric of Viren’s shirt. Everything was calm around them, a soft breeze coming from the open door, ghosting over their bodies. 

Viren’s eyes felt heavy, his body sore and exhausted. Maybe he could just close his eyes for a while, get them relaxed again before he goes back to work. Just a few minutes.

That was how they fell into a deep slumber together, arms wrapped tightly around each other, afraid to let go or the other might crumble in their grasp like a forgotten dream in the morning sun. 

-#-

Claudia doesn’t come down here often. Especially not with half a ton of books about recent human history, art and dark magic following behind her succumbed in a dim purple glow. They hovered over to the nearest empty table, already stacking themselves as they had been before she picked them up.

“Dad? Super-tall creepy elf man?” She called softly, her voice echoing off the walls. “I brought the books I think might be interesting.”

The dungeons replied with silence, sparing no answer from her father or from Aaravos. With worry beginning to bubble in her chest, she strode down the darkest hallway she could see.

She expected something spooky or downright disgusting. Like a rat.

Seeing her father asleep on top of the creepiest guy she’s ever had the displeasure of meeting made a sigh escape her. She smiled and shook her head; she totally jumped to conclusions about Aaravos. Maybe she could give him a chance. One, single,  _ easily  _ snappable chance. 

Using a gentle breeze of dark magic, she pulled the covers up and over them both, making sure the candles were out. With a soft click of the door, she moved back to the main room of the dungeons. 

Maybe she could help him too by making some of her own notes on their new, reformulated plan that they were definitely going to remake again. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> viren is a little reckless with a magic spell and he ends up in limbo with aaravos whispering in his ear

Pacing from the door to the desk in his dungeon, Viren mumbled his thoughts to the dark silence of the night surrounding him. There was a lone candle lit upon the desk, giving light to the numerous magical charms littered across a worn map of Xadia. The light reflected off them, creating millions of small glimmering stars upon the walls.

Viren had found it on their adventure back to Katolis, now he had to figure out what it _meant_. Ancient elven was carved into the gem and despite his best efforts to translate it, he could not find a single book that could aid him in deciphering its secrets.

Magic doesn’t seem to work on the gem, as he had tried to use a translation spell to read the delicately carved runes.

He _would_ ask Aaravos, but Claudia had taken him back to the library to gather more books. It had only been two days and Aaravos had worked through several leatherbound texts and shown great interest in more. It’s a wonder how fast Aaravos can read and pertain the information. It’s an impossible dream for Viren to have that sort of capabilities.

Sighing in frustration, Viren put his hand over his face.

With a quick stride over to the gem, he picked it up with trembling, bandaged fingers. The spell he attempted to perform on the gem had backfired dangerously; if his palm was not exposed to the backlash he could have lost an eye or his entire head. He got lucky, despite not believing in a stroke of luck itself.

His palm stung with tingles of dark magic, an echo of his recklessness forever engraved in the darkened skin. Perhaps he should have waited for Claudia and Aaravos to make their return before he attempted such a spell on a magical gem. It would have been safer.

“We’re back!” Called Claudia, emerging from one of the many halls with Aaravos tailing behind her, a book resting in his palms. “Any luck on the charms?”

He hissed in frustration. “Nothing useful. One almost turned me into a cat.”

“What a curious sight that would have been.” Aaravos mused, closing the book with a soft smile gracing his otherworldly features.

Viren gave Aaravos a look, his frown deep and eyes sharp with suspicion.

Snickering from the shelves, Claudia began to organise the books they returned with into the open spaces. Viren knew these books, they were of ancient magic and human history. Aaravos must be awfully curious about humanity and how it changed if he picked those specific volumes himself.

It’s somewhat of a comfort to have an elf that doesn’t hold any grudge against humanity for the misunderstanding that took place centuries ago. Although Viren was curious about the _reason_ that Aaravos seemed so fond of humans, he would not dare let it slip past his lips.

Even if he asked, Aaravos would somehow manage to avoid the question in a fiercely poetic manner, as if he’d practised it to perfection. It’s likely he has, having spent all that time in a mirror realm by himself. He must have missed physical interaction more than anything.

Viren wondered how Aaravos had managed centuries by himself. He must have come close to losing his mind from the solitude multiple times.

A snap of Claudia’s fingers directly in front of him nearly had him dropping the gem from his aching hand. Viren looked at his daughter, watching her smile as she clutched a book of dragons in her arms.

“Yes, Claudia?”

If Viren hadn’t known any better, he was sure Claudia had begun to vibrate in place as she tapped her nose. If she hadn’t explained it to him once, he was certain he would have thought his daughter’s mind had been broken by a strange spell.

Aaravos took soft steps closer, a book neatly held between his torso and sparkling forearm. “Is this a human custom?”

“No, it’s simply Claudia speaking Claudia again.” Viren sighed. “Yes, go ahead. Just make sure you aren’t followed back here.”

Claudia didn’t need to be told twice. She beamed down the hall like a Moonshadow elf on a mission, a sort of deranged chuckle escaping from behind her grin. The soft tap of her boots became softer and softer as she went further down the hall.

It was silent for a moment between Aaravos and Viren as they watched her disappear around a corner into a dark tunnel, almost slipping on the stone as she dashed out of sight. Viren hopes she remembers to follow the bioluminescent crystals that mark her path to and from the secret entrance.

“Your daughter is a strange human.”

“Today is one of the calmer days, I assure you.”

With a chuckle, Aaravos placed the book down on an empty shelf. He traced his fingers over the spine of it, moving across the worn wood of the shelf to another book. He moved from book to book, simply enjoying the texture under his fingers of _human_ creation. It was primitive, but that was the charm of it.

It’s been centuries since he’s felt the delicate handiwork of a creative and wonderful human. The textures of the spines underneath his palm gave him a sense of ease he could not place. He felt safe in here, with Viren and his daughter. No longer being hunted down for aiding the humans in unlocking their magic ability or held in a different realm entirely, he felt strangely happy.

But something was wrong about Viren. He could sense lingering dark magic in the air, surrounding Viren’s arm that was being held behind him. It coursed from a line in his palm, spreading up his arm slowly. It must be painful, he could see it in the trembling of the limb as it attempts to numb the pain. Viren was focusing on keeping up his usual stoic facade, trying so hard for Aaravos to not see through the cracks of his mask.

“Let me see your hand,” Aaravos commanded, holding out his own hand for Viren’s to rest upon. Viren did so, causing Aaravos to sigh deeply. “ _Your other hand_.”

The elf could see the hesitation in the human’s eyes, the inner turmoil of having someone close to him. How long has he forced himself to be alone in his mind and heart? Whoever hurt him, they must have been someone very special to the mage. Aaravos’ heart ached as he reached out and placed a gentle palm on Viren’s cheek, his thumb brushing over the soft, warm skin.

Viren looked at him with wide eyes, a red blush appearing under the soft elven touch. Aaravos' touch sparked strange magic within him, an ember he thought he'd never be able to rekindle. However, because of that, every nerve in his body and soul told him to pull away, to shove Aaravos off and make it known to _never_ touch him again. The only thing that stopped him was the deep ache inside his chest, the same as the other night.

He felt _alone_ and only Aaravos could fill that void, even if it were only for a short time.

"You allowed me to take care of you for one night, but perhaps I could take care of you today as well?"

Viren remained silent in thought, his eyes flicking from Aaravos' hand to his eyes. He searched them for any lies or hidden plans to use his injured state against him and go after Claudia. Closing his eyes and trying to not lean into the touch, Viren reluctantly pulled his hand from behind him.

Aaravos' hand slid from his face, tracing over his neck with the tips of his fingers. Viren felt magic tingle across his skin where Aaravos touched him, the warm sensation helping Viren calm himself enough. Aaravos had helped him one night, why not with this as well? He'll have to find a way to repay him.

The gem had begun to emit a soft purple glow, the small amount of light it gave seemed to immediately drag Aaravos' eyes and nimble fingers to it. He took it from Viren carefully, not once letting go of his hand. He brought it close to his eye, reading the runes for a moment too long for Viren to not notice how Aaravos had to fight a large, beaming smile.

"Where did you find this?" Aaravos asked, a sparkle of amusement behind his golden eyes. He placed the rare, ethereal gem on the table behind him, taking Viren's hand in both of his own again.

Before he could answer, Viren groaned as the magic moved further up his arm, the veins under the skin becoming dark as night. His other hand moved to grip at his wounded arm, his eyes shut tight and teeth bared in a silent hiss.

Aaravos narrowed his eyes, unwrapping the bandages around the trembling human hand. His fingertips were the only part that _hadn't_ changed to a sickening shadow colour, the centre of his palm a dimly glowing purple where the magic entered. It must have slipped through the scar that still marked the skin from the spell Aaravos had him do when they first met.

The damage could be undone. Its a misstep in magic, a small one, easy to heal. It must have been a powerful spell that he used on the glowing gem if it had such a fierce backlash to dark magic.

"Magic poisoning," Aaravos voiced, pressing two fingers on Viren's wrist to slow the spread. "Close your eyes.”

Viren huffed, sweat dripping down his temple. “I don’t see why I should.”

A chuckle came from the powerful archmage, fingers glowing with powerful magic as he carefully traced a rune above the poisoned palm. His strokes were slow and precise, if not elegant.

Viren had trouble standing upright by himself now, the magic in his veins made him tremble like a kicked dog. His skin had begun to numb and his throat felt raw and dry as if he'd never drunken any water in his entire life.

“I don’t wish to blind my favourite human.”

Viren choked. “Your _what._ ”

Viren was just fast enough to shut his eyes as Aaravos pushed the rune against his palm, his screams of agony vibrating the stones, the darkness dripping like water from his tensed, trembling fingers and a cloud of dark smoke ripping from within his throat.

\- #-

His palm stung and his throat burned. Its been an hour after Aaravos had extracted the dark magic from him if he had to estimate it from how small the candles had gotten. Everything still felt too painful to move. His body felt too light and too heavy at once. The only explanation would be that he was back in limbo.

He knows this place. When he first used dark magic and it took a toll on his body, he ended up in this strange dream realm. Except, this time, he couldn't tell if he was dreaming or hallucinating. Everything around him felt too real, too solid for limbo to have constructed in such a short amount of time.

He turned to the nearest candle, watching the flame dance closely. The wax wasn't dripping. This was, as he already knew, limbo. He doesn't know how long it's been since Aaravos had helped him now. The laws of the real world don't apply here. Whatever his mind fed this dream realm, it would create, albeit with some of its own modifications.

A cold, four-fingered hand pressed against the back of his neck, easing all the tense muscles and the static tingling of pain into relaxation. The air around him felt foreign, making breathing a tad bit harder than usual. It was too cold when he breathed in and too warm inside his body. He felt outside of his own body.

"It's alright, Viren," came a distant whisper, "You're alright. You simply need to follow my voice, let me guide you."

"Been here before," Viren mumbled, his throat sending a shock through his body in protest. His coughs echoed around him in this space devoid of life or natural light. The flames of the illusion candles around him flickered softly at the sound, dimming the realm for a moment too long for comfort.

"Yes, you have," the voice hummed in his ear, "but this time, you have _me_ to accompany you."

He sighed, shaking his head slightly. He was about to ask how this voice - Aaravos, he recognised, would be able to keep him company as he made his way through his own mind. But a finger pressed against his lips softly, making his face flush. The finger moved from his lips, down to his chin and rested upon his neck. The familiar tingle of magic under his skin followed the trail of the touch like footprints following an adventurer. Viren shivered at the feeling.

Aaravos chuckled. "Try not to speak, your throat had taken some damage from the dark magic leaving your system."

Sighing deeply, Viren nodded in agreement and begun moving. He might as well listen to what Aaravos tells him to do, it might help him get out of here faster. Aaravos is a powerful archmage, after all, perhaps he could learn something while he's at it.

Beginning his trek through limbo was easy, everything was almost exactly the same. However, the further he went, the more uneasy he felt with the people that would attempt to coax him into giving into limbo. At first, he shook off the cracks across their faces as his imagination. The further he went, the larger and deeper the cracks broke apart their faces.

He knew none of this was real. Limbo was working off what he fed it, even subconsciously. That doesn't mean it won't unsettle or frighten him. Especially when he caught a glance of the faces of relatives he wishes he could erase from his body entirely.

" _Someone, anyone, please help us,_ " A voice echoed from the distance. Viren felt himself tense up at the familiar voice, only hesitating a moment before bolting forward with a low grunt.

" _Dad! Help!_ " another familiar voice came from the other side. Viren was stuck between choosing Soren or choosing Claudia. They were split from each other, both in danger. He could feel the blood rushing to his ears, his breathing erratic.

Dark magic thrummed at his fingertips, eager to be of use in his state of distress. In some sense, it calmed him. The cool breeze of magic swirling between his fingers and up his wrist gave him a sense of peace. When he had nothing, dark magic was his escape.

A different sense of cold enveloped his hand, holding it with interlocked fingers. Four fingers, it must be Aaravos' hand. He looked at his own palms, glancing between them placed on either side of his head. Carefully, he watched as a soft purple outline of Aaravos' hand gripped his own.

"Before the humans were cast from Xadia, there was a human city," Aaravos mused in his ear, giving him whiplash from the difference of his voice compared to the screams of pain of his children. "It was called Elarion."

Elarion. Before Viren had begun to practice dark magic, he had done everything he could to research it, to ensure there would be no errors or mistakes along the way. Elarion was the city that had practically created dark magic.

He took a few deep breaths, focusing on what Aaravos had said. He put his shaking hands over his face, the tremble over his body giving something else to ground himself with.

Elarion was real, his children screaming for help was not. Aaravos had to keep talking, or he'd lose himself in limbo.

"Keep talking," Viren whispered, his voice cracking. " _please_ , keep talking."

Aaravos chuckled, his free hand ghosting over Viren's neck. The magic at his cold fingertips sparked against Viren's skin, making the human jump at the sharp feeling. Aaravos couldn't help but admire the human for handling himself in limbo so well. Viren truly was remarkable.

"Elarion was home to many different kinds of humans, but there was one young human, an orphan that was special," the ancient elf whispered. "On my birthday, she gave me the finest red fruit, I believe she called it an apple."

Viren couldn't help but let out a soft, dry chuckle at how Aaravos described an apple. This man truly had been cut off from civilisation for centuries. He knew words Viren never knew existed but never learned any fruit terminology. It's an entertaining thought, as short as it was.

With a deep sigh, Viren began to walk through limbo again with a hint of a smile still resting on his face. He hummed to himself in thought, noting how decrepit the world around him had become since he woke in this realm not long ago. The stone walls of the palace, his home had begun to decay and turn to ash as he strode through them.

"The apple was special indeed, it was gleaming with the remnants of the human girl's kindness," Aaravos continued, closing his eyes as he remembered lost memories. "So, in return for this remarkable gift, I promised her a kingdom of her own."

Taking a silent moment to look around the hall, Viren noted he could see outside. The sky was a darkened echo of the eternal night, a thin golden line of a forgotten sun on the horizon. Above the gold was a veil of shimmering stars, colours changing between bright golds, purples and blues.

It was a sight to behold. For a moment, he enjoyed the ethereal sight in silence. The realm must have manifested it as he was listening to Aaravos speak so closely to him of a moment so strangely unique.

Limbo feeds off ideas and fears, putting it in front of the corporeal to keep them locked inside the grip of its maws. He knows this, for when he was here once before, it had manifested Harrow before him as he was leaving. Harrow had begged him to stay. He had ignored him and moved through the final door, despite the deep hurt he felt in his heart.

With a soft shake of his head, he pushed the thoughts of Harrow aside before the realm could grab a taste again. He'd rather not go through that again.

"When we first came to this palace I grabbed the nearest, oldest history book I could find and searched for her name. I could finally open the door to the truth of her fate."

A door. He had to search for a door. The decaying palace he strode through has many, but not the one he needs. The door he needed, in particular, was the exit from limbo. Last time, he had a guide show him the door. A guide to dark magic. Now, he was in uncharted waters. Well, uncharted halls.

He had Aaravos to keep him grounded with the tale of the young girl he met. Some part of Viren wondered who she was, the other brushed the thought off. It's not that important for the current situation. He could ask Aaravos all he wanted once he got out of here, granted his voice wasn't damaged beyond repair.

"And I found her name at the very start of the old transcript. I felt like a proud father upon reading what they said of her," Aaravos sighed, a soft, yet joyful noise. "She never waited for me to help her with her wish, she did it all on her own."

Huffing out in a soft fit of frustration, Viren kept walking through the ruins of the halls. In this part of the palace, the roof was completely gone, allowing Viren to look up and watch the glimmer of the stars as he walked.

It was magical. There were so many colours, such _wonderful_ colours.

A flash of colourful light down the hall made him snap his thoughts back on track. Something was trying to get his attention. He straightened himself and took calm steps to the corner. Upon walking around it, the breath was knocked right out of his body and his blood ran cold.

On the floor lied King Harrow, _his friend_ with his hands neatly tucked under his head as a makeshift pillow. He was gazing up at the shifting colours of the sky, the bright lights reflecting in his eyes. He wore his usual clothes, with a pair of golden accessories on each arm boot as decoration.

" _The stars are beautiful tonight, aren't they?_ " Harrow asked with a smile on his face.

Viren could only watch, noting that Harrow was tapping his boot on the ground softly in a strange tune. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, taking his steps forward with confidence. Opening his eyes, he watched as Harrow grinned wide at his approach and _stepped through him_.

" _I'm proud of you, Viren_." Harrow's voice echoed softly, his form disappearing into a cloud of soft, red smoke, drifting into the skies to fit with the colours among the stars.

Viren shivered and turned the corner, spotting a door filled with intricate runes and different shades of greys. That must be the door he was looking for; the exit. He made quick steps to the door, placing his hand upon the spiralling doorknob.

"The transcript said she had become the first queen of her kingdom," Aaravos whispered closely. "You knew her as the Orphan Queen."

Viren had never felt such a powerful shock of realization as he swung the door open before he could process what Aaravos had just admitted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER IS SO LONG IM SO SORRY


End file.
